I
was born in Los Angeles and am a fifth-generation Californian. I love reading
books about local people and local history, like Mail Nurmi.
Mail Nurmi created the Vampira
character on television in the 1950s, lived on Melrose Ave., had her own curiosity
shop there, and hung out at Googies Coffee Shop on Sunset Blvd. and Crescent Heights in West Hollywood.
She was friends with Orson Welles, Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Elvis Presley.
She was the original queen of Goth and a very talented artist as well.
Her
story is also one of tragedy and sadness. But she was a real trailblazer, and oh, what
a life!
Vampira is an icon but her creator’s life was even more dramatic. Maila Nurmi, the beautiful and sheltered daughter of Finnish immigrants, stepped off the bus in 1941 Los Angeles intent on finding fame and fortune. She found men eager to take advantage of her innocence and beauty but was determined to find success and love. Her inspired design and portrayal of a vampire won a costume contest that lead to a small role on the Red Skelton show which grew into a persona that brought her the notoriety she desired yet trapped her in a character she could never…
I
used to drive Laurel Canyon every day to work. At the time, I was living in North
Hollywood and working in West Hollywood. When I was in high school, my friends
and I would hang out in the canyons and race along Mulholland Drive. The people
and stories in this book are amazing, and the photos are even better.
This beautiful
book takes you back to the 1960s and 1970s — during an extraordinarily creative period
when people living in the Canyon were the center of the music universe. I love
the intimacy and accuracy of this book.
Home designer and builder Robert Byrd lived on Lookout Mountain and Laurel Canyon, next to the former Tom
Mix Log Cabin and Frank Zappa Tree House and across the street from the former
Harry Houdini mansion. There are so many great stories to read here, and each one
could fill a book of its own.
This title offers a lavishly illustrated insider's look at 80 years of music and culture in Laurel Canyon. It is eye-opening both visually and informatively and features numerous interviews with stars, such as Slash!. Written by a long-time Canyon resident, this is a book no music lover can be without! Laurel Canyon is a zip code with its own play list: to name just a few, "Sonny & Cher", "The Doors", "The Turtles", "Canned Heat", "Monkees", "Byrds", "Buffalo Springfield", Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young"; "Eagles" and Carole King all cultivated their immortal sounds in this L.A.-based…
Mack
Sennett was once the king of comedy films. In 1912, he founded Keystone Studios
in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Harold
Lloyd, Gloria Swanson, and the Keystone Kops were just a few of the performers
he helped become major stars.
I’ve always loved watching short comedy films
from the silent era. I once worked with one of the original Keystone Kops,
Eddie LeVeque. He was in his late 80s at the time. We made a short film at his
home in Los Angeles. He wore his Keystone Kop uniform and even threw a pie in
someone’s face. The film was an effort to maintain control of the Keystone Kop
name. He was a true treasure.
The King of Comedy tells the story of the men
and women who helped make it all happen. A really fun adventure. Those were the
days.
This is the story of Mack Sennett, one the world’s most influential entertainers. Based on interviews with Mr. Sennett and persons associated with the master comedian, King of Comedy begins with Sennett’s birth on January 17, 1880 in a province of Quebec. The story invites the reader to follow Sennett through his childhood, his many entertainment experiences, his personal life highlighted by his relationship with Mabel Normand, his creation of masterpieces such as Keystone Cops and his discoveries of unforgettable entertainers such as Charlie Chaplin. As he states in his final chapter, Mack Sennett strives to, “…tell about the comedies…
Homes by Byrd examines the story of
this father and son team, demonstrating their impact on the design of
single-family homes in Southern California and describing the hallmarks of their
enduring style.
Byrd homes are archetypes of California living. While many
people in the Hollywood community and real estate are familiar with the name
and distinctive style of Robert Byrd (1904-1978), not much is known about his
life or that his son, Gary (1939-2008), also built homes.
The
elements of a Byrd Home include exposed wood beams, turned posts, rock and
flagstone finishes, and whimsical brickwork. Byrd homes were built in the
California Ranch style of architecture and featured natural materials that lent
the homes a comfortable, symbiotic, and timeless ambiance.
